The present invention mainly relates to a radiographic imaging system to read radiation image stored in a radiation-image storing sheet so as to generate image data.
Recently, there is a strong tendency to increase the efficiency and speed of the diagnosis by digitizing radiation image information of a patient generated in a hospital and by storing and electrically transmitting it. Therefore, in the field of the direct radiographing, instead of the conventional screen/film system, a radiation-image radiographing system to output the digital data utilizing the stimulable phosphor substance is frequently used.
This radiation-image radiographing system, utilizing this stimulable phosphor substance, is commonly known as “Computed Radiography (CR)”. In this apparatus, a part of the radiographic energy transmitted through a subject is stored once in the stimulable phosphor substance. The energy stored in the stimulable phosphor substance can be taken out as the stimulative light by exciting it by the predetermined wavelength laser light. This stimulative light can be taken out as an electric signal by using a photoelectric conversion element such as a photo-multiplier.
The radiation-image radiographing system can be largely classified into an exclusive type radiation-image radiographing system, which cannot so simply be carried, in which the stimulable phosphor substance is housed , and a cassette type radiation-image radiographing system using a cassette in which the stimulable phosphor substance is housed, and which can be carried.
Referring to FIG. 11 showing the cassette type radiation-image radiographing system using the stimulable phosphor substance, the cassette type radiation-image radiographing system using the stimulable phosphor substance will be described below.
A cassette 6 is portable and houses a stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 storing a portion of the radiographic energy. In a radiographing room, a subject M is positioned between a radioactive source 9 and the cassette 6, and the radioactive ray from the radioactive source 9 is irradiated toward the cassette 6. The stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 in the cassette 6 stores a part of the irradiated radiographic energy. Then, when the cassette 6 is coupled to a radiation-image reading apparatus 1, the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 reads out the radiation image information stored in the stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8. Further, a controller 2 has a monitor to which patient information and information such as a radiographing portion relating to the image stored on the cassette 6 is inputted, and by which the image read out by the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 is confirmed.
Then, the radiation-image reading apparatus 1, in order to read-out the radiation image information stored in the stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 in the cassette 6, irradiates excitation light onto the stimulable phosphor substance sheet and photoelectrically converts the stimulative light that is emitted from the stimulative phosphor substance sheet 8 and corresponds to the stored radiation image information. After A/D conversion, the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 outputs as the digital image data. However, high accuracy is required for these systems, and the cost is considerably high.
Further, in order to enable the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 to simultaneously hold a plurality of cassettes of sheets of film, each of which corresponds to one imaging, the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 is large. Then, in the conventional cassette type radiation-image radiographing system, the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 and its exclusive controller 2 are integrated, or separately connected in a one to one relationship. Accordingly, in many cases, one set of the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 and its exclusive controller 2 are installed per a plurality of radiographing rooms. However, the radiographing operation in the radiographing room in which this set is not installed is inconvenient, and because the time interval between the radiographing and the input of the patient information and radiographing information is long, the radiology technician (radiographic engineer) tends to make mistakes inputting information. Further, because the time until the technician goes to the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 from the radiographing room, and sets the cassette and returns to the radiographing room after the image confirmation is long, there is a problem that the instruction of the next radiographing of the patient is delayed, or the image may not be confirmed until after the photographed patient has left the radiographing room, and it is necessary to call the patient back if re-radiographing is necessary. Accordingly, although it is considered that at least one set of the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 and its exclusive controller 2 be installed in each radiographing room in the hospital, because it is installed irrespective of the frequency of the radiographing in the radiographing room, it is uneconomical, and further, the mounting space becomes large, and the cost is high.
Further, in any case, there is a problem, when any one of the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 or its controller 2 is faulty, both of them cannot be used.
Further, a system shown, in FIG. 12 is proposed as another radiographing system. In this system, when the patient information of the patient to be photographed by the cassette 6 and the information of a photographic position are inputted at the information input terminal 5, an ID number to discriminate the stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 accommodated in the cassette 6 is simultaneously read out, and it is stored in the server 4 through the network 3 as a series of information corresponding to the patient information or radiographing position information. When the radiographing using the cassette 6 is completed, the cassette 6 is coupled to the radiation-image reading apparatus 1, and in the same manner as the radiation-image reading apparatus 1, the radiation image information stored in the stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 in the set cassette 6 is read out. At this time, the ID number of the stimulable phosphor substance sheet 8 is also read out by the radiation-image reading apparatus 1. The radiation-image reading apparatus 1 refers to the registration information corresponding to the read out ID number in the server 4, and associates the registration information received from the server 4 with the read out radiation image information, and transfers it to an image confirmation apparatus 7. Because the registration information and the radiation image information from a plurality of radiation-image reading apparatus 1 are collected in the image confirmation apparatus 7, the final confirmation of the image is conducted therein.
In this system, a plurality of information input terminals 5 and radiation-image reading apparatus 1 are connected to the network 3. In each radiographing room of the hospital, only the information input terminal 5 is installed, and when, in a common space between the radiographing rooms, a plurality of radiation-image reading apparatus 1 are installed, the installation space can be more reduced.
However, in each radiographing room, because the image confirmation apparatus 7 is not installed, there is a problem that the radiologist who is charge of radiographing cannot confirm the image. Accordingly, a full-time person who uses the image confirmation apparatus 7 and conducts the image confirmation, is necessary, and there is a defect, which results in an increase of the human cost.
Further, when the image confirmation apparatus 7 is malfunctioned, there is a defect that the image read out by whole radiation-image reading apparatus 1 cannot be confirmed.
Accordingly, it is considered that the image confirmation apparatus 7 is installed in each radiographing room. According to this, when a nurse or an assistant goes to set the cassette 6 to the radiation-image reading apparatus 1, the radiologist can input the patient information or radiographing information or confirm the image, without going-out from the radiographing room. However, when the information input terminal 5 and the image confirmation apparatus 7 are installed in each radiographing room, there is a problem that a large installation space is necessary, and the wiring easily becomes complicated.
Further, because it is necessary that both of the information input terminal 5 and the image confirmation apparatus 7 are installed in each radiographing room, the cost is increased. Further, because it is necessary that the radiologist operates both of the controller 2 and the image confirmation apparatus 7, the operation efficiency is lowered.
Further, because the images photographed in other radiographing rooms are returned to the image confirmation apparatus 7, it takes a long period of time to find out the his own photographed image. In order to avoid this problem, in the case where the image confirmation apparatus 7 is directly connected to respective radiation-image reading apparatus 1, when either one of the radiation-image reading apparatus 1 or the image confirmation apparatus 7 is faulty, a new problem that both of them can not be used, is generated.